ROYAL LANDMARKS FOR ALT.TALK.ROYALTY

SUMMARY:

This list of royal landmarks (places of interest) was originally prepared in the summer of
1996.  I posted the list to alt.talk.royalty in the spring of 1997 and a revised version of
Royal Landmarks is now available as a separate part of the main a.t.r. FAQ. The list contains various places
of residence (palaces) and places of burial (crypts) of European royalty for the past few
centuries.  If known, the list will indicate which landmarks are open to the public, viewing
hours, and whether or not there is an admission fee.

Last updated on: 1 August 1998

If you have any comments or additions or would like to suggest other landmarks, please
don't hesitate to contact Eric-Jan Noomen (Royal Landmarks list maintainer) at: ejnoomen@xs4all.nl.

AUTHORED BY:

Eric-Jan Noomen

CONTRIBUTIONS BY:

Yvonne Demoskoff and Mark Anthony Rodriguez

COPYRIGHT BY:

Copyright (c) 1997, 1998 by Eric-Jan Noomen.  All rights reserved.


N.B.: This list of royal landmarks, or places of interest, is shown in the format of
"city - landmark - remarks".

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  1. Austria-Hungary
  2. Bavaria
  3. Belgium
  4. Denmark
  5. France
  6. German Empire: see Prussia
  7. Greece
  8. Hanover
  9. Italy
  10. Liechtenstein
  11. Luxembourg
  12. Monaco
  13. Netherlands, The
  14. Norway
  15. Parma
  16. Portugal
  17. Prussia
  18. Roumania
  19. Russia
  20. Saxony
  21. Saxon Duchies
  22. Spain
  23. Sweden
  24. Thailand
  25. Württemberg


AUSTRIA-HUNGARY

Palaces:
Artstetten (near Vienna) Artstetten castle open daily from April to early November. Property bought in 1823 by Franz I of Austria & later the summer residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (nephew of emperor Franz Joseph I). Following the assassination of Franz Ferdinand & his wife Sophie, Dss von Hohenberg in June 1914, the couple were buried in the crypt at Arstetten. During World War II, occupied in turn by the German & Russian forces. In 1980, Dss Anita von Hohenberg (great granddaughter of Franz Ferdinand) decided to live here with her family, having been married here 2 years earlier. The property contains a museum dedicated to the archducal couple.
Prague Hradschin
near Trieste, Italy Castello di Miramare open daily. Soon after his arrival in Trieste in 1854, Archduke Maximilian (brother of Franz Joseph I) & newly-appointed supreme commander of the Austrian Imperial Navy decides to build a neo-Renaissance style villa on a promontory overlooking the Adriatic. The grounds contain rare types of trees (sequoias, pines & cedars) chosen by Archduke Maximilian. In 1864, Maximilian became the Emperor of Mexico & never saw Miramar again; his widow Charlotte returned to Trieste following her husband's execution in 1867; she lived briefly at Miramar before returning to her native Belgium.
Vienna Hofburg museum
Vienna Schönbrunn museum

Places of Burial:
Prague St. Vitus Cathedral open to the public
Vienna Kaisergruft open to the public

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BAVARIA

Palaces:
Berchtesgaden Schloss Former residence of Crown Prince Rupprecht. Now a museum
Chiemsee Herrenchiemsee museum
Linderhof Schloss Linderhof beautiful palace built for king Ludwig II (1870-1878). Open to the public
Munich Prinz-Carl-Palais official residence of the Bavarian Prime Minister
Munich Residenz museum (restored between 1945 & 1980)
Munich Schloss Nymphenburg museum (parts still used by Wittelsbach family)
Schleissheim (near Munich) Altes Schloss built between 1616 & 1623 as a retreat for Duke Wilhelm V of Bavaria; seriously damaged during WW II; restoration work completed in 1972
Schleissheim (near Munich) Lustheim small palace built around 1685; it houses a large collection of Meissen porcelain
Schleissheim (near Munich) Neues Schloss open to the public. Built in the early 18th century to celebrate Duke Max Emanuel's victory over the Turks in 1688, it's one of the largest Baroque palaces in Germany. The palace faces the Old Palace (Altes Schloss) and is separated from Lustheim by a large Baroque garden
Schwangau Hohenschwangau museum (built for King Ludwig I)
Schwangau Neuschwanstein museum (built for King Ludwig II)

Places of Burial:
Altötting Wallfahrtskirche hearts of many Wittelsbachs
Andechs Klosterfriedhof open from 15:00 to 17:00
Munich Bonifazbasilika grave of King Ludwig I & his wife
Munich Frauenkirche open to the public (free)
Munich Michaelskirche open to the public (DM 1,- admission)
Munich Theatinerkirche open to the public (DM 1,- admission)

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BELGIUM

Palaces:
Brussels Palais Royal used for official receptions
Brussels Château de Laeken official residence of King Albert II

Places of Burial:
Brussels Nôtre Dame, Laeken crypt is only open a few days a year

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DENMARK

Palaces:
Copenhagen Amalienborg
Copenhagen Charlottenborg
Copenhagen Christiansborg
Copenhagen Fredensborg
Copenhagen Rosenborg

Places of Burial:
Roskilde Roskilde Cathedral open to the public

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FRANCE

Palaces:
Fontainebleau Fontainebleau palace museum
Paris Louvre museum
Paris Palais Royal converted to houses and shops
Paris St. Cloud destroyed in 1870 (Franco-Prussian War)
Paris Tuileries torched by the Communards in 1871
Paris Vincennes castle museum
Rueil (near Paris) Malmaison former residence of Napoleon's first wife, Josephine de Beauharnais. Open to the public
Versailles Versailles palace museum

Places of Burial:
Dreux Chapelle Saint-Louis Orleans family (the Chapelle was founded by Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon-Penthièvre (1753-1821), mother of Louis Philippe I, King of the French)
Farnborough, Hampshire (UK) Abbey Church of St. Michael tombs of Napoleon III, Empress Eugenie and their son, the Prince Imperial
Paris Dôme des Invalides Napoleon I , his son Napoleon II, his brothers Jérôme and Joseph
Paris St. Denis Capets, Bourbons; during the French Revolution the royal remains were dug up and put into mass graves. When the Bourbons regained power (1815) these remains were buried in the crypt
Rueil St. Pierre - St. Paul tombs of Empress Josephine de Beauharnais and her daughter, Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland. Open to the public

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GERMAN EMPIRE: see PRUSSIA

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GREECE

Palaces:
Athens Royal Palace
Tatoi
Corfu Mon Repos

Places of Burial:
Tatoi kings of the Hellenes, their wives, family members

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HANOVER

Palaces:
near Hanover Herrenhausen mostly destroyed during WW II. Remaining buildings and gardens open to the public
Hanover Leineschloss
near Schulenburg/Leine Schloss Marienburg former residence of the royal family of Hanover. Open to the public every day except Mondays (and only on Saturday and Sunday during the winter months)

Places of Burial:
near Hanover Herrenhausen mausoleum in the palace gardens (George I of the UK and Hanover, among others)

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ITALY

Palaces:
Rome Quirinal palace construction began in 1574 under the reign of Pope Gregory XIII & completed in the mid-1700s; summer residence of the popes from 1582 until 1870, later royal palace and official residence of the kings of Italy; after the fall of the monarchy in 1946, the palace became the official residence of the president of the Italian Republic
Turin Palazzo Carignano built in 1680 in the Baroque style; now houses the national museum of the Risorgimento; the creation of the kingdom of Italy was declared in this palace in March 1861
Turin Palazzo Madama in the family of the counts (later dukes) of Savoy since 1280; ceded to the Italian state in 1923; now contains the Museo Civico di Arte Antica, while the royal apartments are used today for official receptions
Turin Palazzo Reale construction began in 1646 & completed in 1663 (with more work completed by 1733)
Turin Villa Reale de Stupinigi one of the finest examples of European Baroque art
near Turin Racconigi summer residence; birthplace of future Umberto II

Places of Burial:
Rome Pantheon open to the public
Turin La Superga
near Rumilly, Savoie, France Abbaye de Hautecombe founded in 1125 by Count Amedeo III of Savoy; members of the house of Savoy from the 12th century to the 16th century, though later kings of Sardinia & of Italy are found her (including Umberto II who died in 1983)

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LIECHTENSTEIN

Palaces:
Vienna, Austria Liechtenstein Palace before taking permanent residence in their principality, the Princes of Liechtenstein lived in the Austro-Hungarian capital; built between 1689 & 1711, the Palace now houses a permanent display of modern architecture (Osterreichisches Bauzentrum)
Vaduz Vaduz Schloss originally built in the 12th century; much destroyed by fire in 1499, was later rebuilt in the 16th & 17th centuries; came into the possession of the princely family of Liechtenstein when the county of Vaduz was purchased in 1712; not open to the public

Places of Burial:
Vaduz Parish Church crypt (located near cloister of the parish church) begun in 1956; and incomplete as of 1990
Wranau (=Vranov), Moravia (now Slovakia) Wranau Church crypt for members of the princely family from 1633 to 1945

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LUXEMBOURG

Palaces:
Luxembourg Grand Ducal Palace
Château of Colmar-Berg
Fischbach

Places of Burial:
Luxembourg Nôtre Dame crypt open to the public (several Nassau family members)

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MONACO

Palaces:
Monaco The Palace popular changing of the guard ceremony

Places of Burial:
Monaco Monaco Cathedral princess Grace (i.e. Grace Kelly)

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NETHERLANDS, THE

Palaces:
Amsterdam Paleis op de Dam used for receptions
Apeldoorn Paleis Het Loo museum
The Hague Huis ten Bosch official residence of Queen Beatrix
The Hague Paleis Korte Voorhout museum
The Hague Paleis Noordeinde contains the Queen's offices
Soestduinen Paleis Soestdijk official residence of former Queen Juliana
Utrecht Koninklijk Paleis used as royal palace by Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother) when he was King of Holland (1806-1810); now houses the library of the University of Utrecht

Places of Burial:
Breda Grote Kerk graves of several ancestors of William the Silent
Delft Nieuwe Kerk crypt closed to the public

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NORWAY

Palaces:
Oslo Royal Palace owned by the state (the only resort one can call a palace)

Other Residences:
Asker (near Oslo) Skaugum Estate private; residence of the Crown Prince (Crown Prince Haakon will move in & his parents out in 1998/99)
Oslo The Bygdoey Royal Farm owned by the state
Bygdoey, Oslo Oscarshall owned by the state; open to the public during summer
Voksenkollen, Oslo Kongsseteren (The Royal Mountain Farm) private

Royal Residences owned by the state: Bergen, Lillehammer, Stavanger, Trondheim

Private holiday resorts:
Hankoe, Frederikstad Bloksberg
Tjoeme (outside Toensberg) Maageroe
Sikkilsdalen Prinsehytten (The Prince's Cottage)


Places of Burial:
Oslo Akershus Fortress open to the public (?)
Trondheim Trondheim Cathedral (Nidarosdomen) open to the public

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PARMA

Palaces:
Parma, Italy Palazzo Ducale

Places of Burial:
Parma, Italy Capuchin Church various Dukes of Parma and their spouses
Parma, Italy Santa Maria della Steccata Basilica various Dukes of Parma and their spouses
Viareggio, Italy Tenuta Reale Chapel some brothers and sisters (Princes and Princesses of Bourbon-Parma) of Empress Zita of Austria

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PORTUGAL

Palaces:
Cascais Cidadela de Cascais construction on the fortress began in the late 1500 though it wasn't until 1870, that it was transformed into a summer residence for Luis I (in fact, this is where King Luis died on 19 October 1889); following the fall of the monarchy, the fortress became the summer residence of the presidents of the Portuguese republic; since 1986, it is a museum
Lisbon Paço d'Ajuda construction on the present palace (the original one was built in 1761) began in 1802 in the neo-classical style using white stone; it is the largest palace in Portugal despite being unfinished; it is used nowadays for large official receptions by the Republic & houses a museum of art in the north wing of the palace
Lisbon Paço das Necessidades (aka Royal Place) permanent royal residence from the time it was built in the 18th century (by order of Joao V) until the fall of the monarchy in 1910; the grounds of the palace contain a remarkable collection of exotic plants known as "Tapada das Necessidades"; today, the palace houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Lisbon Paço de Belem built circa 1700 by the counts of Aveiras & bought in 1726 by Joao V who rebuilt it as a royal summer residence; used until the fall of the monarchy; the Palace is now the residence of the president of the Portuguese republic.
Mafra Palace/Convent of Mafra considered one of the most important historical monuments in Europe: it survived the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, the buildings cover almost 4 hectares, the palace has 660 rooms, the basilica is over 58 metres long while the library is over 83 metres longs & contains approximately 40,000 volumes; begun by Joao V in 1717 and modeled after the Escorial in Spain
near Lisbon Queluz Palace formerly a hunting lodge belonging to the marquesses of Castelo Rodrigo, the property came into the royal family in 1640 & was given to the younger sons of the kings in 1645; renovations in the 18th century transformed it into a proper palace for the sovereign & it became known as the Portuguese Versailles; Manoel II ceded the palace to the Portuguese state in 1908; now houses the Museum of Decorative Arts; the palace is surrounded by many gardens in the French style
Sintra Paço da Pena open to the public. In November 1838, Fernando of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King Consort, becomes owner of the ruins of the convent of Nossa Senhora da Pena; instead of restoring it, he decides to build himself a summer residence following the death of his wife Queen Maria II in 1853 and his two year regency for his son Pedro V, King Fernando seeks refuge in la Pena
Sintra Paço de Sintra a royal residence from the 13th century until the fall of the monarchy in 1910 (was the favorite residence of Luis I)
Vila Viçosa The Palace residence of the dukes of Bragança since the 16th century; when the dukes became kings of Portugal, they lived primarily in Lisbon, but returned frequently to their palace near the Spanish border; Carlos I spent his last night here before his assassination in Lisbon in February 1908 (he had spent two weeks hunting in Vila Viçosa)

Places of Burial:
Lisbon Sao-Vicente-de-Fora
Vila Viçosa Convento dos Agostinhos dukes of Bragança (founded by Duke Ferdinando I of Bragança in the late 1400s)
Vila Viçosa Antigo Convento das Plagas duchesses of Bragança (founded by Juana de Mendoza, 2nd wife of Duke Jaime I of Bragança, in the early 1500s)

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PRUSSIA

Palaces:
Berlin Alte Palais rebuilt in 1964; used by Humboldt University
Berlin Charlottenburg restored; museum
Berlin Bellevue rebuilt 1959; official residence of the German president
Berlin Kronprinzenpalais rebuilt in 1968/1969; used by city government
Berlin Monbijou damaged during WW II; demolished c. 1960
Berlin Prinz Albrecht Palais damaged during WW II; demolished c. 1947
Berlin Stadtschloss severely damaged during WW II; blown up in 1950
Potsdam Cecilienhof museum of the Potsdam Conference (1945)
Potsdam Charlottenhof museum
Potsdam Marmorpalais parts open to the public since 20 July 1997; restoration work still in progress
Potsdam Neue Palais museum
Potsdam Sanssouci museum
Potsdam Stadtschloss damaged during WW II; demolished

Places of Burial:
Berlin Berliner Dom still being restored, small part open to the public
Berlin Mausoleum Charlottenburg open to the public (DM 1,- admission)
Potsdam Friedenskirche open to the public

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ROUMANIA

Palaces:
Bucharest Royal Palace
Sinaia Pelesç Castle 127 km north of Bucharest in Sinaïa, Transylvania. Open to the public since the fall of Communism in Roumania. Summer residence of Prince (later King) Carol I. Construction began in 1875 and completed in 1883: this fortress-castle borrowed mainly from the German Renaissance style of architecture. The grounds extend over 6 hectares

Places of Burial:

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RUSSIA

Palaces:
Moscow Kremlin used by Russian government; some parts open to the public
Oranienbaum Oranienbaum museum
Pavlovsk Pavlovsk palace museum
Petrodvorets Peterhof museum
St. Petersburg Winter Palace contains the Hermitage museum
Tsarskoe Selo Catherine Palace the Catherine Palace, part of the 800-acre compound at Tsarskoe Selo located 15 km south of St. Petersburg, is known as the Russian Versailles. Open to the public. The palace began as a modest summer palace (2 stories with 16 rooms) on the site of an old country house given in 1710 by Peter the Great to his second wife, Catherine; the palace was subsequently enlarged and rebuilt by Empress Elisabeth, Catherine's daughter, as well as by Empress Catherine II

Places of Burial:
Moscow Arkhangelsky Sobor, Kremlin czars up to Peter I; open to the public
St. Petersburg St. Peter & Paul Fortress Peter I and later; open to public

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SAXON DUCHIES

Saxe-Coburg and Gotha:

Palaces:
Coburg Schloss Ehrenburg former Ducal Palace
near Coburg Callenberg
near Coburg Rosenau
Gotha Schloss Friedenstein former Ducal Palace; now a museum
Gotha Schloss Friedrichsthal now houses a school for engineers

Places of Burial:
Coburg Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Gotha Schloss Friedenstein dukes of Gotha buried in the crypt of the castle church

Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach:

Palaces:
Eisenach Stadtschloss now houses the Eisenach city government and the Thuringian Museum
Weimar Schloss Belvedere summer residence of the dukes of Saxe-Weimar; now houses a rococo museum
Weimar Grüne Schloss houses the Duchess Anna-Amalia Library
Weimar Residenzschloss museum
Weimar Schloss Tiefurt summer residence of Duchess Anna-Amalia; now a museum
Weimar Wittumspalais former residence of Duchess Anna-Amalia; several rooms open to the public; also houses the Wieland Museum

Places of Burial:
Eisenach St. George's Chapel members of the Grand Ducal family
Weimar Princely Cemetery crypt now known as Goethe-Schiller Crypt

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SAXONY

Palaces:
Dresden Residenzschloss
Dresden Zwinger former royal palace, completely restored after the 1945 bombing. When restoration work is finished, the famous royal art collection will be on display here

Places of Burial:
Dresden Katholische Hofkirche zur Hl. Dreieinigkeit

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SPAIN

Palaces:
Aranjuez (Madrid environs) Palacio Real de Aranjuez Summer Palace & Gardens originally built by Philip II & later rebuilt in the 18th century by Ferdinand VI
Barcelona Palau Real Major ancestral home of the Counts of Barcelona since the 14th century; from here, Ferdinand and Isabel received Columbus upon his return from America
Granada The Alhambra/Palace of Charles V legendary 13th century Moorish palace of the Nasrid kings of Granada; beginning in 1527, Charles V added his Renaissance-style palace
Madrid Monasterio de San Lorenzo el Real de El Escorial royal palace, library, monastery & mausoleum built by Philip II & completed in 1584
Madrid Palacio de El Prado moated palace with identical wings built by the Habsburg and Bourbon monarchs; used primarily to house visiting heads of state
Madrid Palacio de la Zarzuela built by Philip IV & rebuilt by Carlos IV; the small palace has housed the royal family since 1962
Madrid Palacio Real (aka Oriente Palace) principal royal palace with adjoining armory built by Philip V, Carlos III & Carlos IV; museum; used primarily for ceremonial & diplomatic occasions
Mallorca Castell de Santueri castle of the kings of Aragon who ruled Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca Palau de l'Almudaina castle/palace rebuilt in 1309 by James II and served as the island palace of the kings of Mallorca, then Aragon, & ultimately Spain (note: Palau is the Catalan form of palacio)
Pamplona Palacio de Navarra exquisite palace of the kings of Navarre
San Sebastian (Donostia) Palacio Miramar seaside palace & gardens built by Queen Maria Cristina (wife of Alfonso XII) in 1889
Segovia Palacio de La Granja de San Idelfonso Versailles-inspired palace & gardens built by Philip V in 1720 near the hermitage of San Idelfonso
Segovia Palacio Riofrio known as the Spanish Trianon, the vast palace & hunting museum built by the widowed Queen Isabel Farnese in 1752 & set in a deer park. Opened to the public in 1965.
Segovia Segovia Alcazar vast royal castle which was already over a half millennium old when it was damaged by fire & rebuilt in the mid-19th century; this was reportedly one of the design inspirations for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle (along with Bavaria's Neuschwanstein palace)
Seville Palacio de San Telmo Infanta Maria Luisa (sister of Isabel II) and her husband the Duke of Montpensier made this their palace; in 1893, the Infanta donated the grounds of the palace to the public which are now known as the Parque Maria Luisa; today, the palace houses the Andalusian regional government
Seville Reales Alcazares/Palace of Pedro I spectacular Mudejar-style palace built by Pedro I in 1364 with later additions by Emperor Charles V
Toledo Toledo Alcazar Charles V's fortress-palace

Tordesillas Convento de Santa Clara palace of Queen Juana la Loca for over 40 years while in mourning for her husband Philip the Handsome

Places of Burial:
San-Lorenzo-el-Real El Escorial open to the public

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SWEDEN

Palaces:
Drottningholm
near Stockholm Rosendal opened to the public in 1913. Summer residence of King Carl XIV Johan which he acquired in 1817 & rebuilt following a fire (construction completed in 1827).
between Stockholm & Uppsala Rosersberg open to the public.The most sumptuous and best kept Neo-Classical palace in Sweden; built circa 1631, it became the property and principal home of the future King Carl XIII of Sweden in 1762. Redecorated in the Empire style for King Carl XIV Johan; his widow Queen Desiree retired here following his death in 1844.
Stockholm Royal Palace

Places of Burial:
Stockholm Riddarholmskyrkan

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THAILAND

Palaces:
Bangkok Vimanmek open to the public (50 bahts admission fee). The largest building in gilded teck in the world. Construction began in 1900 for King Chulalongkorn (Rama V); unused and forgotten by the royal family after his death in 1910; restoration on the palace began in 1982 supervised by Queen Sirikit. The museum contains the royal cars used by King Chulalongkorn (r. 1868-1910)

Places of Burial:

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WÜRTTEMBERG

Palaces:
Ludwigsburg Schloss Ludwigsburg open to the public with guided tours in German and English. Built by Duke Eberhard Ludwig who transferred his court from Stuttgart to Ludwigsburg to escape the city & its citizens (who were scandalized by the fact he was separated from his wife & living with his mistress) the Schloss contains a theatre, 2 chapels, numerous apartments and a 30-hectare garden. Nearby are Schloss Favorite with its Baroque exterior and Empire interior (built between 1713-1723 by Duke Eberhard Ludwig for his mistress) and Schloss Monrepos with its Rococo exterior and Empire interior (built by Duke E.L. for his hunting parties)
Stuttgart Neues Schloss used by the government of Baden-Württemberg
near Tübingen Schloss Lichtenstein open year round, except Jan. & Feb. This Neo-Gothic style medieval castle was completed in 1842 for Duke Wilhelm von Urach, Count von Württemberg, a cousin of the King of Württemberg.

Places of Burial:
Ludwigsburg Schloss Ludwigsburg dukes and kings who died after 1700
Stuttgart Stiftskirche dukes who died before 1700

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